Quarter turn bale lift arm for round bale movers

Abstract

A round bale carrier which picks up hay bales while moving in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal end-to-end direction of a bale to be loaded onto the carrier, and a bale pick-up supported by the bale carrier. The bale pick-up comprises an open sided bale cradle including a cradle base located parallel along one side of the carrier when in a pick-up position and swingable in a horizontal plane through 90 degrees to a bale loading position relative to the carrier. First and second bale support arms are secured to the cradle base with the first bale support arm extending out at generally right angles to the cradle base an the second bale support arm being moveable at the cradle base between a bale receiving position generally perpendicular to the first bale support arm and a bale pick-up position generally parallel to the first bale support arm. The bale cradle also is liftable from the bale loading position to a bale delivery position projecting upwardly from the one side of the carrier. A control system is provided for the bale pick-up and this control system includes a first operating member which moves the second bale support arm, a second operating member which swings the cradle base and a third operating member which raises and lowers the cradle. The control system operates such tat after the first operating member moves the second bale support arm to the bales pick-up position, the third operating member raises the cradle sufficiently to elevate a bale int he cradle away form ground level before the second operating member swings the cradle to the bale loading position. The third operating member then continues to raise the cradle to the bale delivery position.

We claim: 
     
       1. A round bale carrier which picks up round hay bales while moving in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal end-to-end direction of a bale to be loaded onto said carrier, and a bale pick-up supported by said bale carrier, said bale pick-up comprising an open sided bale cradle including a cradle base located parallel along one side of said carrier when in a position to receive and pick up a hay bale and swingable in a horizontal plane through 90 degrees to a bale loading position relative to said carrier, first and second bale support arms secured to said cradle base, said first bale support arm extending out at generally right angles to said cradle base, said second bale support arm being moveable at said cradle base between a bale receiving position generally perpendicular to said first bale support arm and a bale pick-up position generally parallel to said first bale support arm, said bale cradle also being liftable form said bale loading position to a bale delivery position projecting upwardly form the one side of said carrier, and a control system for said bale pick-up, said control system including a first operating member which moves said second bale support arm, a second operating member which swings said cradle base and a third operating member which raises and lowers said cradle, said control system operating such that after said first operating member moves said second bale support arm to the bale pick-up position, said third operating member raises said cradle sufficiently to elevate the bale in the cradle away form ground level before said second operating member swings said cradle to the bale loading position, said third operating member then continuing to raise said cradle to the bale delivery position. 
     
     
       2. A round bale carrier and bale pick up as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second operating members are both mounted to said cradle base. 
     
     
       3. A bale carrier and bale pick up as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control system comprises a hydraulic system and wherein said first and second operating members comprises first and second cylinders respectively and said hydraulic system includes a sequencing valve arrangement which controls movement of said second bale support arm by said first cylinder and said second cylinder to swing said cradle base. 
     
     
       4. A round bale carrier and pick up as claimed in claim 3 wherein said third operating member comprises a third cylinder for lifting said cradle base and wherein movement of said cradle base by said second cylinder operates said third cylinder to lift said cradle base. 
     
     
       5. A round bale carrier which picks up bales while moving in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal end to end direction to a bale to be loaded onto said carrier, ad a bale pick up on said carrier, said bale pick up comprising a bale cradle including a cradle base located parallel along one side of the carrier when in a bale pick up position and swingable in a horizontal plane through 90° from the bale pick up position to a bale loading position, first and second bale support arms secured to said cradle base, said first bale support arm extending out at generally right angles to said cradle base, said second bale support arm being movable at said cradle base between a bale receiving position generally perpendicular to said first bale support arm and the bale pick up position generally parallel to said first bale support arm, a lift arm for lifting said bale cradle from the bale pick up position to a bale loading position in which the bale is loaded on the carrirer, and operating means for said bale pick up, said operating means comprising second bale support arm displacement means, cradle base displacement means and lift arm displacement means, said operating means including control means for controlling said second bale support arm displacement means to move said second bale support arm from the bale receiving position to the bale pick up position while disabling the cradle base displacement means and the lift arm displacement means, and operating said lift arm displacement means to exert a lifting force on the bale cradle sufficient to at least partially lift the bale and simultaneously operating the cradle base displacement means to move the cradle base from the bale pick up position to the bale loading position. 
     
     
       6. A bale carrier as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control means comprises mean responsive to the cradle base reaching the bale loading position for operating the lift arm displacement means and moving the lift arm from the bale loading position to the bale delivery position. 
     
     
       7. A bale carrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control means comprises means for simultaneously operating said second arm displacement means to more said second bale support arm from the bale pick up position to the bale receiving position to move the cradle base displacement means for the bale loading position to the bale pick up position and the lift arm displacement means form the bale delivery position to the bale loading position.